Cliff Cardinal returns to Crow’s Theatre for a special, one-week presentation of with his critically acclaimed, award-winning solo show, HUFF.

HUFF is the brutally funny tale of Wind and his brothers as they struggle with their mother’s death, a reserve school system that’s failing them, and a solvent-abuse problem. Wind’s fantastical, gas-induced dream world blurs his harsh reality in this powerful, disturbing, and comic tale of family, love, and despair.

Named a Canadian cultural icon by The Globe and Mail and one of the most important playwrights and performers in Canada by the Toronto Star, Cliff Cardinal is known for his dark humour, compassionate poeticism, and acclaimed solo shows Stitch, Huff, Cliff Cardinal’s CBC Special, and William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal. Earlier in the Crow’s Theatre 40th anniversary season, Cliff’s latest solo show directed by long-time collaborator Karin Randoja, (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them), received its world premiere in association with VideoCabaret.

Cliff’s relationship with Crow’s continues with an ongoing international tour of the Governor General’s Literary Award winner William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal. The show was recently presented at Under the Radar Festival by NYU Skirball and will play both the Brighton Festival and Southbank/LIFT in the UK this summer. The show will then return to the western Canada with engagements at The Cultch, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and more.

Since HUFF launched Native Earth Performing Arts 2015.16 season, the show has toured across Canada as well as to Australia, England, and Scotland; won two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for outstanding performance and outstanding new play; has been published, translated into French, and was released as a podcast by the CBC.

This presentation of HUFF at Crow’s Theatre is a rare opportunity to witness an artist enrich an already transformative piece of theatre with newfound experience, maturity, and perspective. HUFF runs for seven performances only, April 23 to 28, in the Guloien Theatre.

Crow’s Theatre presents the Cunning Concepts & Creations production

HUFF

Written and performed by Cliff Cardinal

Directed by Karin Randoja

April 23 to 28, 2024

Opening Night: Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Guloien Theatre, Streetcar Crowsnest

For more information: www.crowstheatre.com

HUFF runs Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.

To purchase tickets, visit www.crowstheatre.com or call 647.341.7390 or email boxoffice@crowstheatre.com or drop by 345 Carlaw Avenue (at Dundas Street East).

Photo: Cliff Cardinal in Huff. © 2018 Jamie Williams.